Minnesota!

[Rhetts]

I was going to ask about a drop in egg production too. We had 14 yesterday and 4 today. How did I loose 10 eggs in a day???
Are weasels egg eaters or stealers? Could there be other varmints taking eggs? Would my cats? Thing is I am not seeing any traces of broken eggs. I have not witnessed any hens being egg eaters. I do have a broody that is not breaking (frustrating!). But I check her all day long to see if she is hiding eggs from me and she is just sitting in the box with nothing in it. Could the weather really be to blame? It has been miserable for the hens. Really humid.

 

[duluthralphie]

Eggs are way down, I have not got an egg from the creamettes in almost 3 weeks.

For the record, I hardly ever swear. I don't like to swear, waterfowl just bring it out of me.*
















* not all statements above may be entirely factual

 

[Rhetts]

Minnie your chickens are so beautiful!

I have family that live in Two Harbors and they have wolves in their yard during the day. The kids and pets are NEVER let alone outside. I have heard of the wolves attacking the dogs up here on the Range. I had thought that having a dog would be a deterrent but almost looks like they are targeted instead. Thanks for the heads up on that though I had forgotten about the dog attacks.

 

[Rhetts]

I have both geese and ducks. I have to say the ducks are way more fun and tolerable than the geese. I have not found one quality in the geese yet that makes me want to keep them. Why do I still have them? Because I can't even give them away and my freezer isn't big enough. Ducks are so fun to watch, they are not loud, they are great egg layers depending on breed. Wintering the geese and ducks wasn't that great. I used the rubber dishes that you can flip over and stomp on to break the ice out for water. That worked well. I am working on a different location for wintering them here this year. A work in progress.

 

[Mistahbue]

howdy all! It's been a stupid crazy few weeks. was working 2 full time jobs plus tending critters for about a month. thank God and greyhound that's done. Now it's almost back to normal!

broody guinea is still broody! tonight we heard peeping and were able to get her off the nest long enough to snatch 3 that had hatched at some point today. a couple of eggs were pipped so expect them to be hatched by morning. we managed to get a crate around her to keep her safe from harm. Apparently she hatched a few out a week ago but our cats or something else got them from her or she entrusted them to the other helmet heads and they failed miserably.



as to chicken news our chicks that arrived on 8/26 are growing like weeds. Trying to get them used to being handled.

Hope everyone is fine, in good health, and enjoying this weird weather. Hopefully I'll be able to check back in daily from now on. Howdy to anyone I haven't met!

 

[Cluckies]

Good to see you Mistabue! I knew something was amiss. cute chicks. I did not know you had to take the chicks away from a guinea broody. Will she may stay broody then?

 

[scandiafowl]

Good to see you Mistabue! I knew something was amiss. cute chicks. I did not know you had to take the chicks away from a guinea broody. Will she may stay broody then?

Thanks, I meant to ask the same question!

 

[KlopKlop]

I have both geese and ducks.  I have to say the ducks are way more fun and tolerable than the geese.  I have not found one quality in the geese yet that makes me want to keep them.  Why do I still have them?  Because I can't even give them away and my freezer isn't big enough.  Ducks are so fun to watch, they are not loud, they are great egg layers depending on breed.  Wintering the geese and ducks wasn't that great.  I used the rubber dishes that you can flip over and stomp on to break the ice out for water.  That worked well.  I am working on a different location for wintering them here this year. A work in progress. 

I raised Pekins as a kid and loved them and would love to have some now but it's unlikely. I wouldn't want to overwinter them and my wife would be appalled if I said I was going to butcher "cute little ducks"....

They really are a hoot to watch. We used to herd them around with a hockey stick so they would graze around the garden

 

[AlezaJ]

Thank you all for the advice on big runs. I think I will be doing the hardware cloth "skirt" with electric wire just above it. The wire in the dirt to keep animals from digging in and the floppy wire on the top. In between will probably be that 2"x4" wire maybe layer some chicken wire on that, I'll see how it looks first.
Would birds of prey land on a tree branch and then fly down into the coop?

 

[Bogtown Chick]

That big of a run with open top you are susceptible to birds if prey.

Welcome back Mistahbue.

Cooler / normal fall morning.

For your Fluffy Butt Friday viewing pleasure.

We've got an Oktoberfest tomorrow and twins tickets Sunday. If you watch the game on tv you may see Bogtown Chick and family behind 3rd base. We scored some sweet tickets at a benefit.